Hella Good Looking Hellebores!

Plant It and Forget It: Hellebore Hybrids

Chalk it up to Toronto gardeners having an early case of spring fever as I'm seeing Hellebores popping up in more and more gardens. These Christmas Roses (Helleborus niger) and Lenten Roses (Helleborus orientalis and the many hybrids under H. x hybridus) give us late winter or early spring blooms and look fantastic around daffodils, snowdrops, crocuses and early season tulips. They also don't expect much fussing about from their caregivers either: plant them in soil with rich organic matter, provide average moisture and allow for full to part sun. In many ways, hellebores are like peonies: just plant them, leave them alone and they should be long lasting. In terms of ongoing maintenance, I spend a couple minutes a year cutting off the previous year's old and often diseased leaves in early spring. That's it.

(A great reference for the hellebore care and propagation is Hellebores: Winter Hardy Shade Perennials for the Woodland Garden from Plant Delights Nursery.)

Hellebores and crocuses at 
the Toronto Botanical Garden 

I had an afternoon off last week and with April's weather being so nice (with above average temperatures), I visited the Toronto Botanical Garden to see what was flowering. Among the early flowering bulbs and shrubs, of course, were many hellebores in fine form so I went a little crazy with the camera in capturing these beauties.

Stinking Hellebore (Helleborus foetidus) at 
the Toronto Botanical Garden 

Don't let the common name dissuade you from planting Helleborus foetidus (there are cultivars too.) The leaves do have strong musky (skunky?) scent but if you avoid rubbing them all over your body. it shouldn't be an issue.

Helleborus x ericsmithii "Pirouette" hellebore 
and "Jetfire" daffodils 
at the Toronto Botanical Garden

Helleborus x ericsmithii "Pirouette" and
 "Jetfire" daffodils make up this spring container 
at the Toronto Botanical Garden 

Helleborus x ericsmithii "Pirouette" hellebores 
and "Jetfire" daffodils detail as part of this 
Toronto Botanical Garden spring container

Helleborus x hybridus "Anna's Red" hellebore 
spring bloom in my backyard

I have a few hellebores in my backyard which received full sun until noon. "Anna's Red" is finally slowly becoming a nice clump after a few years of just sitting. Hellebores are slow growing but if you're patient (almost to the point of negligent) with them, they'll reward you every late winter to early spring.

Helleborus x hybridus "Berry Swirl" hellebore 
at the Toronto Botanical Garden 

Helleborus x hybridus "Berry Swirl" hellebore blooms 
at the Toronto Botanical Garden 

Helleborus × nigersmithii "Ivory Prince" Hellebore 
at the Toronto Botanical Garden 

"Ivory Prince" seems to be the hottest hellebore cultivar on the market for several years now (I didn't think it would be possible to describe hellebores as trendy) as I see it in many flowers shows, garden centres and spring containers in tonier parts of Toronto.

Helleborus × nigersmithii "Ivory Prince" 
Hellebore spring flowers 

"Ivory Prince" Hellebore (Helleborus × nigersmithii) 
at the Toronto Botanical Garden 

"Ivory Prince" Hellebore spring blooms 

"Ivory Prince" Hellebore spring flowers 

Lenten Rose/ Hellebore flowers detail 
at the Toronto Botanical Garden 

Lenten Rose (Helleborus orientalis) 
at the Toronto Botanical Garden 

Stinking Hellebore (Helleborus foetidus) 
at the Toronto Botanical Garden 

Toronto Botanical Garden 
Helleborus (hellebore) blooms 

Toronto Botanical Garden 
Helleborus x hybridus "Berry Swirl" 
hellebore blooms 

The sepals' veins and overall flower shape above remind me of the human heart!

If you're a hellebore lover like myself, you know how useful these "lower-maintenance" perennials are. If you haven't discovered them yet, well, now you know!